Species: Stellaria alsine
English Name: Chickweed
Chinese Name: 雀舌草
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Description:
Herbs annual, glabrous. Stems tufted, slightly diffuse, ascending, 15–25(–35) cm tall, much branched. Leaves sessile, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, (0.2–)0.5–2 cm × (1–)2–4 mm, basally sparsely ciliate, both surfaces slightly pinkish green, base cuneate, semiclasping, margin cartilaginous, slightly undulate, apex acuminate. Flowers 3–5 in cymes or solitary, terminal or axillary. Pedicel 0.5–2 cm, slender, glabrous, slightly declinate in fruit. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 2–4 × ca.1 mm, glabrous, midvein raised, margin membranous, apex acuminate. Petals 5, shorter than or subequaling sepals, 2-cleft nearly to base; lobes linear, apex obtuse. Stamens 5(–10), slightly shorter than petals. Ovary ovoid; styles 3, sometimes 2, linear, short. Capsule ovoid-orbicular, subequaling or slightly longer than persistent sepals, 6-valved. Seeds numerous, brown, reniform, slightly compressed, rugulose. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Aug. 2n = 24, 26, 46.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2001). Flora of China, Volume 6: Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis